95% of workers would let their AI avatars perform tasks in meetings, survey finds

Would you let a digital model of your self act for you at work? If sure, you are not alone. 

On Wednesday, enterprise journey platform TravelPerk launched new analysis on professionals’ opinions of synthetic intelligence (AI) within the office. It discovered that although individuals had been considerably apprehensive, 95% stated they “can be keen to permit an AI avatar to carry out duties in a gathering on their behalf.” 

Particularly, staff stated they might let AI avatars full “admin-focused duties,” together with “reminding them of deadlines (61%) or scheduling conferences (53%),” to allow them to focus extra on person-to-person interactions throughout conferences. 

Nonetheless, the analysis clarified that “there’s additionally some openness to letting avatars deal with some ‘human’ interactions, resembling delivering a presentation (34%) and answering questions (36%) primarily based on pre-set tips or historic conduct.” What’s extra, solely 13% of distant staff stated they might let AI make choices, in contrast with 23% of onsite staff. 

The analysis, carried out in partnership with OnePoll, surveyed 4,000 enterprise vacationers within the US, UK, Spain, and Germany (1,000 in every nation) from September 13 to 16. Of these polled, 34% of government leaders stated they might let an AI avatar make choices on their behalf throughout a gathering, in comparison with solely 9% of entry-level staff.

That stated, 88% of respondents expressed issues about AI at work, and 41% anxious AI may misrepresent them in ways in which might negatively influence their careers. These respondents feared AI might create misunderstandings in skilled relationships or fail to authentically talk their personalities. 

For Gen Z individuals, 23% stated it might immediate them to enter their workplaces extra regularly (in comparison with solely 7% of child boomers). Forty-two p.c of all respondents stated utilizing AI avatars would make them extra prone to meet folks in individual.  

“The hype round AI Avatars that it might substitute human connection is worrying, as I really assume the other is true — it ought to as an alternative improve the necessity for real-life interplay,” stated TravelPerk CEO and co-founder Avi Meir. “The actual problem is [integrating] AI know-how in a method that enhances, slightly than competes with, the human connection.”

So far as the advantages of AI, opinions are combined. Forty-seven p.c of respondents stated utilizing avatars would enhance their productiveness, however solely 28% thought that might really translate to them working fewer hours, and 22% expressed concern that the selection would restrict potential profession progress. 

TravelPerk’s report ended with some suggestions for workers feeling apprehensive about AI: “Future-proof” your profession with relationship-building and demanding pondering expertise, problem AI outputs, and use the tech strategically to make work extra environment friendly — do not count on it to simply substitute you.